Chapter 280: first match I

Chapter 280: Chapter 280: first match I

(Damian)

A polo match was already underway when Damian returned to the grounds.

The sharp crack of mallets carried across the field, followed by the occasional roar from the stands whenever a player broke through the opposing defense.

The current match wouldn’t end for another while.

Beyond the field, the next teams were already gathering in their designated areas, their horses being warmed up while stable hands moved between the paddocks and the team tents.

Damian walked toward the Saint Albion Polo Club’s area.

Anthony was already there.

He looked up when Damian approached.

"You’re back."

Damian nodded.

"Yeah."

Anthony glanced at the time.

"You’ve been gone for quite a while."

"I had something to do."

Anthony studied him.

"What?"

Damian looked at him.

"With some friends."

Anthony’s eyebrow rose.

"Friends?"

"Yeah."

Damian said it casually enough.

Anthony waited for more.

Nothing came.

Damian glanced toward the field.

"The match is still going?"

"Second chukka."

Damian nodded.

He looked toward the schedule board.

Their match was still more than an hour away.

Plenty of time.

Anthony watched him.

He had noticed Damian during the opening ceremony.

Not just once.

Several times.

His cousin’s attention had repeatedly drifted toward the stands, and Anthony had eventually followed his gaze.

He had seen Vivienne there.

At the time, however, there had been too much happening for him to say anything.

The parade had continued.

The teams had gathered.

The ceremony had ended.

Then everyone had scattered.

Anthony had simply kept the observation to himself.

Now, however, Damian had disappeared for a good portion of the afternoon and returned looking unusually pleased with himself.

Anthony leaned against the railing.

"You disappeared right after checking the schedule."

Damian glanced at him.

"So?"

"So I’m curious."

"About what?"

"Where you went."

Damian gave him a faintly amused look.

"Why?"

Anthony shrugged.

"Because you vanished."

Damian folded his arms.

"Are you my keeper now?"

Anthony almost smiled.

"No."

"Good."

Damian turned toward the field.

"Then don’t worry about it."

Anthony studied him for another moment.

He knew Damian well enough to recognize when his cousin was deliberately shutting down a conversation.

And whatever he’d been doing during those missing hours, Damian clearly had no intention of explaining it.

Anthony let the matter drop.

For now.

Instead, he glanced toward the field.

"How was East Junction?"

Damian’s expression changed only slightly.

"Fine."

"You were stuck there during the storm."

"Yeah."

"I heard it was pretty bad."

"It was."

Anthony nodded.

Then, after a moment:

"Vivienne was there too, wasn’t she?"

Damian’s eyes flicked toward him.

"Yes."

"Was she all right?"

"She was fine."

That was all.

Anthony watched him for a moment.

Damian clearly wasn’t going to say anything more, and Anthony had no reason to press.

Their conversation two weeks earlier still lingered somewhere in the back of his mind.

He wanted Vivienne.

He hadn’t changed his mind about that.

But wanting something and deciding what to do about it were two different things.

The past two weeks had given him little opportunity to think about it properly.

Midterms had consumed most of his time, followed by the Sports Fest and the countless responsibilities that came with it.

He hadn’t forgotten Vivienne.

Not at all.

He simply hadn’t decided what he intended to do.

A cheer erupted from the stands.

The players on the field had scored.

Anthony turned his attention toward the match.

Damian did the same.

For a few moments, neither spoke.

Then someone approached them.

"Here."

Evelyn held out two bottles of water.

She was already dressed in the team’s polo uniform, her reserve-player number visible on her shirt.

Anthony accepted one with a polite nod.

"Thank you, Evelyn."

She handed the other to Damian.

"Here."

"Thank you."

Evelyn smiled before her gaze settled on Anthony’s gloves.

"Your strap is loose."

Anthony glanced down.

He hadn’t noticed.

Before he could adjust it himself, Evelyn reached over and carefully fixed it.

"There."

Anthony looked at the strap, then back at her.

"Thank you."

"Of course."

She gave him a small smile before stepping away to check on the other players.

Damian watched her.

At first, there was nothing unusual about it.

Evelyn had grown up around the Ashfords. She and Anthony had known each other for years. Anthony had always treated her with the easy protectiveness of an older brother.

But Damian couldn’t help remembering something else.

Vivienne at the pool party.

Then her sarcastic remark about a certain night, on a certain balcony.

Damian was too busy feeling bad about what that meant for him that he didn’t think much of it otherwise.

Now, watching Evelyn straighten Anthony’s glove and fuss over him so naturally, he understood why Vivienne might have drawn her own conclusions.

His gaze lingered on Evelyn for another moment.

A faint irritation settled in his chest.

It was ridiculous.

If anything, Evelyn’s interest in Anthony was convenient for him.

If Vivienne still believed Anthony had something with Evelyn, then perhaps she would be less inclined to look back at him.

And if she was hurt by Anthony because of this again...

Well.

Damian didn’t like seeing her hurt.

But selfishly, he couldn’t deny that it left more room for him.

He looked toward Anthony.

His cousin was completely unaware of the thoughts running through Damian’s head, calmly checking the condition of his equipment.

Damian exhaled quietly.

Poor Vivienne.

The thought came with an unexpected pang.

Then another thought followed immediately after.

Good for me.

He almost felt guilty for thinking it.

Almost.

He turned his attention back toward the field.

The match continued.

And somewhere beneath the noise of the crowd, Damian found himself thinking about Vivienne again.

Her smile.

The warmth of her hand in his.

The way she’d looked at him earlier.

Perhaps he could find her after the match.

Maybe take her to dinner.

And if the evening went particularly well...

Damian almost laughed at himself.

His thoughts had become embarrassingly predictable lately.

Still, he wouldn’t complain.

He wanted to see her again.

Preferably sooner rather than later.

But first, he had a match to play.

--

Tbc